Buggy-top



Patented Nov. 8, I898.

BUGGY TOP.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. BYXBE, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

BUGGY-TO P.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,661, datedNovember 8, 1898.

Application filed February 26, 1898. Serial No 671,3Z6- (N0 m l To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BYXBE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pensa cola, county of Escambia, and State of Florida, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buggy-Tops, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in concealed jointsand supports for carriage-tops and the like, and has for its object toprovide an exceedingly simple and effective arrangement of thisdescription by means of which the framework of a carriage-top, such asthe bows, may be securely held in place when adjusted in their activeposition without the stays or joints being exposed to view from theoutside of the top, and also when it is necessary to hold the top thisresult may be brought about from the inside of the carriage and withoutliability of injury to the occupant, and when accomplished the jointsand stays will still remain concealed from the exterior.

Afurther object of myinvention is to provide means whereby the joints ofthe stays will be held in their proper active positions even though thetension thereon be varied'by a change in the top occasioned by exposureto the elements.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective of the top of a carriage having myimprovements applied thereto; Fig. 2; a detail of one of thestay-joints, showing the lockingspring in position; Fig. 8, a similarview showing the joint broken, and Fig. 4 a section of a portion of ajoint when in its active position.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the top,which is supported by the bows B, which may be of any suitable number,(here shown as three,) all of which are pivoted at a common centerO.

These bows are connected together by the toggle-stays D, which arehinged together by the joints E, and these joints are so arranged as toopen downward, as will be readily understood, from which it is obviousthat to collapse the bows it is only necessary to break the joints, whenthe stays will fold downward between each bow, and thus permit the collapsing of the top.

The support-stays F are provided with a toggle-joint G and are pivotedat H and I, so that when the top is raised and the members of thesestays brought into alinement the top will be sustained in position, aswill be readily understood, and by this arrangement all strain isrelieved from the bows, since they simply spread the top, while thestays F prevent its being swung rearward. From this description it willbe seen that the top may be easily collapsed by the manipulation of thetoggle-joints from within, so that an occupant of the carriage does nothave to lean therefrom to accomplish the desired result, and it is alsoto be noted that the entire supporting-frame and mechanism is concealedfrom exterior view.

Each of the toggle stays is jointed together by the bolt J which passesthrough the joint members and is prevented from turning by the squareshank K. The threaded end of this bolt is preferably flattened upon twosides for the reception of the locking-sprin g L, which has an oblonghole therein for the passage over this bolt, after which the running onof the nut M will securely hold the parts in position. Thelocking-spring L is so arranged that when the members of thetoggle-stays are in line it will lie parallel and against one of saidmembers, thereby enter ing into engagement with the beveled lug N, so asto retain the stay in this adjustment; but when it becomes necessary tobreak the joint this is readily accomplished by disen gaging thelocking-spring from the lug N. The use of this spring is advantageous inthat it often happens that the stretch of the top occasioned by exposureto the elements tends to permit the joints to become accidentallybroken, whereas this spring will avoid this difficulty, and yet permitthe breaking of the joints when desired.

The advantages of my improvement are,

first, the complete concealment of the joints of a buggy, carriage, orphaeton top; second, the fact that the top can be built up in such amanner that it will remain in perfect position, as the joints are allset before the top is made, also that there will be no holes cut in thetop, and, third, a more rigid frame is provided without any strain onthe bows, while in the old style the parts are secured to the outside ofthe bows and the joints at a suitable distance from the bows, and theaction of the joints at every operation is such as to bring a strongpressure each way on the stays.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown and described, as this may be varied in detail without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and usefulis- 1. In combination with a toggle-joint, one of the members of whichhas a lug formed thereon, a bolt passed through said joint, said bolthaving a squared shank fitting in a corresponding opening in one of saidmembers whereby the turning of the bolt is prevented, an angular portionformed near the end of the bolt, a fiat spring fitted on said angularportion adapted to engage said lug and a nut threaded on the end of thebolt, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A top for carriages and the like consisting of asuitable framecomposed of bows pivoted at a common center, toggle-stays pivoted to thebows, bolts hinging the members of said stays together, each of saidbolts having a square shank, fitting in a corresponding opening in oneof the members, and an angular portion formed near the end thereof, flatsprings fitted on said angular portions of the bolts and lugs on certainof the members with which said springs engage, as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

J GEN C. BYXBE.

IVitnesses:

JAMES REED, J. B. VAUGHN, Jr.

